Cambridge Taxi Drivers Fined For Clashing With Cyclists

A pair of cab drivers in Cambridge have been fined for their role in separate incidents with cyclists. Lee Cave was found guilty of careless driving when he drove in front of a traffic warden who was cycling on Downing Street in the city. The warden, Anthony Clark-Patterson, was forced to break hard as the driver turned left onto Corn Exchange Street. Clark-Patterson had a lucky escape as Cave came perilously close to hitting him with the car.

According to Clark-Patterson, Cave’s black Mercedes forced the cyclist to reach out and push up against the car as the force of him braking caused his body to lurch over the handlebars of the bike. If he had not quickly thought of this manoeuvre, he would have certainly been knocked off his bike and possibly severely injured. Clark-Patterson continued by telling Cambridge magistrates that Cave’s ‘violent’ driving moves almost caused a serious accident. It was the cyclist’s opinion that the collision would have been substantially worse had he not held his hand out to lessen the impact.

Cave did not have any legal representation in the court and denied Clark-Patterson’s claims that he was guilty of dangerous driving. Cave told the magistrates that he has been the owner of a company and a taxi driver for seven years. The court said that his manoeuvre was dangerous, fining the driver £180. Cave also received four points on his driving license and must pay a £15 victim surcharge and an additional £400 in costs.

Syen Ahmod, who drives for Panther Taxis, was also found guilty of dangerous driving when he bumped a cyclist in Cambridge. His cab hit the stationary cyclist who was knocked forward by the impact. Ahmod is currently living in Bangladesh having got married there and interrupted his stay in order to get this matter sorted according to his lawyer, Carlo Coccaro. Ahmod’s lawyer said that his client made a misjudgement and did not know that he had made contact with the cyclist. Ahmod changed his plea to guilty after pleading not guilty last year. He was ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge, £180 in costs, a £165 fine and three points were put on his driving license.